Christmas 2021: The month of December not only brings chilly weather but also tags along happy times and good vibes as we celebrate Christmas – the festival of birth and joy as we near a whirlwind year.
Not only giving gifts, Christmas also brings with it many other traditions and customs and one such popular celebration is the midnight mass celebrated on the eve of Christmas. This includes the celebration of the Holy Communion.
since we’re hours away December 25Here’s what you need to know about Midnight Mass:
What is midnight month?
Midnight Mass is a tradition where Christians gather in a church on Christmas Eve for a service of worship in honor of Jesus. As the name implies, the midnight mass celebrations begin at 12:00 am on December 25.
Celebrations usually start just before midnight, but some churches plan to do it a little early so that people can easily go back home.
For Catholics, the larger Christmas Eve midnight mass is traditionally celebrated at the Vatican. Large numbers of people visit St. Peter’s Basilica to hear the Pope’s Christmas message.
Midnight Month: History
It is said that midnight mass services were introduced in the Western world from about 430 AD under Pope Sixtus III in the Basilica of St. Mary Major. Midnight Mass became widely popular by the twelfth century.
The tradition was first introduced by a German woman, Egeria, who during her pilgrimage to the Hold Land observed how in Bethlehem, Jerusalem’s early Catholics observed the Christmas mystery with vigilance during midnight.
The tradition was chosen in 440 by the Western world under Pope St. Sixtus III, who, due to the longstanding Christian belief that Christ was born at midnight, celebrated Mass at midnight that year – a practice he followed from year to year. year followed.
Midnight Month: Significance
The main purpose of celebrating Mass Midnight is said to be the ‘personal importance of forgiving’. The tradition is basically a mass awakening at night which involves joyfully awaiting the arrival of Jesus. Families gather in churches every year to celebrate this joyous occasion.
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